CVE-2018-16948 : Security Advisory and Response

OpenAFS versions prior to 1.6.23 and 1.8.x prior to 1.8.2 are affected by a memory leakage vulnerability that exposes memory contents from both the stack and heap. This can lead to information disclosure and poses a risk to clients as well.

Understanding CVE-2018-16948

This CVE identifies a vulnerability in OpenAFS that could potentially leak memory contents, impacting the security of systems running affected versions.

What is CVE-2018-16948?

The issue in OpenAFS versions before 1.6.23 and 1.8.x before 1.8.2 arises from RPC server routines not properly initializing output variables, resulting in memory exposure from both stack and heap. This flaw allows for the leakage of sensitive information, including kernel and kaserver memory.

The Impact of CVE-2018-16948

The vulnerability can lead to information disclosure, affecting the confidentiality and integrity of data processed by OpenAFS. Clients utilizing the OpenAFS cache manager as an Rx server for the AFSCB service are particularly at risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-16948

OpenAFS CVE-2018-16948 involves the following technical aspects:

Vulnerability Description

Several RPC server routines in OpenAFS fail to initialize output variables properly, leading to memory leakage from both stack and heap, potentially exposing sensitive information.

Affected Systems and Versions

OpenAFS versions prior to 1.6.23
OpenAFS 1.8.x versions before 1.8.2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the memory leakage in RPC server routines, enabling them to access memory contents from both stack and heap, compromising system security.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-16948, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security updates provided by OpenAFS promptly
Monitor vendor advisories for patches and guidance

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update OpenAFS to the latest secure versions
Implement secure coding practices to prevent memory leakage vulnerabilities

Patching and Updates

Install patches released by OpenAFS to fix the memory leakage issue
Keep systems up to date with the latest security updates